Published Paper Details:

Background: Urbanisation is among one of the factors which contribute to demographic shifts from rural to urban areas in the last few decades. But, due to non accessibility and unaffordability of healthcare services in urban areas, there has also been an emerging trend of reverse urbanization. In this context, accessibility and affordability of health services in urban areas become an important criterion to evaluate healthcare institutions contribution to the health status of the community. The current paper intended to explore the status and challenges Swasthya Suvidha Kendra (SSK ), a new cadre of infrastructure formed at slum level in cities of Chhattisgarh state under NUHM, are facing since its inception and recommended how the system could bridge these to provide better services to the slum community. Materials and Methods: For this, cross sectional and explorative research design was selected. The study was carried out in five randomly selected SSK from two cities of the Chhattisgarh state named Raipur and Durg in the year 2013-14. Data were collected through a pre-designed, pre-tested semi-structured schedule, and checklist. For recording the system process part, observation method was applied. Results: The study findings revealed that proper provisioning of infrastructure with an integrated system at the slum level will ensure accessibility and affordability. However, contact with the community by the grassroots level service provider leads to create rigor inaccessibility and affordability for the community. Further, it can also be seen that there are many challenges remain in making functional the SSK in the state and it can bridge through convergence and capacity development. Conlcusion: For delivering a quality health services in the urban health center, proer supply chain management must plan by the government and capacity of the frontline workers must be developed to address the need of the urban area with a online monitoring system.